How often are we delivered from something and immediately think "well, sheesh, we got out of the frying pan only to end up in the fire!" 

Today we see the Israelites celebrating their deliverance from the Egyptians only to find that they are without water. They wander for three days, and when they finally find water, it is bitter. It was undoubtedly discouraging for the chosen people. 

Even then God was in control; he knew what he would do. We see time, and again the Israelite's faith falter, but yet God provides. 

Our call is to trust in the Lord always and to trust that he will not fail us. The road can be covered in haze and always confusing, but take heart and press on in His grace. 

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. ~ Hebrews 2:18

In today's second lesson we are shown how Christ lived a fully human life, he suffered as we suffer, he faced temptation as we are tempted, he felt sorrow and joy as we feel sorrow and joy. Unlike us, he lived his life in perfection, where we give in to temptation, where we fail, where we doubt, he never failed, and never doubted. 

It is in this experience that we know we have a Lord who can empathize with us, who we can come running to when we are struggling and tempted. He is not some detached Deity who does not empathize, but rather he has walked with us, and he has given us the blessing of the Holy Ghost the comforter. 

We know that we will face struggles and trials in this world, but Christ is not aloof to those pains, so when we face them we have a God who has been there. Take heart in that truth dear friends. 

I will continue with the devotionals later on this week, I'm still pretty beat from the Holy Week and Easter festivities. May the Lord bless and keep you this week of the resurrection.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Every Good Friday I find myself re-reading the fourth section of TS Elliot's East Coker poem in the Four Quartets. He poetically spells out sanctification, how gruesome and painful it can be and ends that part of his epic with a sharp punctuating statement: "Again, in spite of that, we call this Friday good." 

We know this Friday is good, not because we are good, but because we can see what happened after it. Sanctification can be a painful process, and our salvation cost our Lord everything. Knowing the ending and knowing that he shared in our sorrow makes our burden easier. 

Though the day is a sad one, it is also good, because we can see and remember how our sins were tact upon the cross, and how one day we will have a greater joy. 

A very blessed Good Friday my friends, may your hearts be given to the Lord who died for us. 

IED+

"I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts." 

The Law is written upon the faithful Christian's heart, and it is a mark of the new covenant.  It is not new, nor harsh, but rather renewing and redirecting. The law written on stones acted to guide the Hebrews, but the Holy Spirit works to direct us, correcting us when we are in sin, and comforting us when we fail. 

As Holy Week draws to an end, we are reminded of the opening of the kingdom to all those who would come to Jesus, but we also see what it cost Christ and those who follow Him.  

So we pray that we would learn to follow after Him, regardless of the cost and that we would live faithfully under the guidance of the spirit. We pray the law would be written on our hearts continually reforming us to right belief, and action. 

IED+